


Traffic Lights

by rick_italy



Category: Football RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-05 23:02:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1835428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rick_italy/pseuds/rick_italy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Final had not a happy ending unluckily... Marco can't sleep...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Traffic Lights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/822633) by [rick_italy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rick_italy/pseuds/rick_italy). 



 

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

A terrace on fifth floor, a hotel in the center of London. Marco can't sleep, he stares at the horizon, he notices groups of supporters celebrating along the streets every now and then, predominate color is red... in the distance he hears shouts and songs for joy... yellow color seems to be vanished from the face of the earth.

He goes to sleep later than usual when he plays football in the evening, because adrenaline and this evening is the same but not only because adrenaline.

The Final had not a happy ending, as they wished, as they hoped, they knew there was the chance to miss the goal but nobody would think about this possibility before the match.

Marco and Mario went back to the hotel with their teammates, they're in low spirits, they dragged themselves as far as the reception to ask for the electronic key of their room and then they reached it by elevator.

They aren't in the right mood to chat and they'd like to set the time a lot of days forward, in the hope they would take this weight off their mind so it won't torture them anymore.

Mario is the fastest to wear his pyjamas and to slip into bed. He casts a glance to Marco, «good night, Woody», turning himself towards the bedside table at his left. He turns the abat-jour off, disappearing under the quilt from Marco's sight. He can see just a tuft of Mario's hair.

Marco, turning towards Mario, «good night, my friend», then he seats on his side of the bed, undressing slowly but thinking at something else, he's acting like a robot. He wears his pyjamas as well and then he slips into bed, unwillingly. He turns the abat-jour off, trying to make himself comfortable, turning to the left and then to the right, to the left again, disappearing under the quilt but just for few seconds. He can't sleep, too many thoughts in his head so he seats on the bed, looking at Mario... he doesn't move, he's already sleeping probably and so Marco doesn't want to disturb him. He carefully gets out of the bed walking to the terrace.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Does it happen only once in a lifetime? _I'm 23 years old,_ Marco thinks, _ok, 24 years old very soon,_ young but not very young. How many professional football players of great talent have the chance to play a Champions League Final? And how many have a second chance in case the first had not a happy ending? _There are some teams that fight to reach The Final every year,_ is Borussia one of them? _Maybe not,_ you need to be lucky too to win of course and in the return match with Malaga scoring two goals in the injury time it was like an impossible mission, _but the team never gives up._ In the match versus Real Madrid, Borussia had nothing to lose and after Ronaldo scored the goal at Signal Iduna Park, nobody would bet 1 euro for the qualification of German team... _we never give up!_ Borussia deserved to reach The Final, also if in Madrid, Borussia ran the risk to lose everything in the last few minutes of the return match.

Bayern... _Third Final in the last four years..._ somebody has more chances in a lifetime, _Bayern, Mario..._ Marco turns is head towards the bedroom, Mario is still there under the quilt, a calm sleep, he sleeps... _Mario, Bayern..._ Marco remembers a day of last April...

The key inserted in the lock, a click and the door is opened, Mario goes in and closing the door he calls «Marco?», there's no need to add more because he hears the noise of the phon coming from the bathroom, _he's at home._ Mario takes the jacket away, putting it on the sofa and then he walks towards the bathroom, the door isn't closed, Mario peeps out from behind the door «Marco!», the blond is drying up his hair, he turns towards his friend «hi Mario, I'm ready in few minutes...» adding «am I late?» «No, Marco, I'm arrived before time because I need to talk to you,» and Marco «ok Mario, I'm almost done...» so «did you take any decision? What will we do?» Mario is trying to control his friend's enthusiasm, but it's not easy, they're waiting for this moment impatiently, because there's no training session next day and so they can be late at night knowing they can sleep more than usual. But Mario has the urgent need to talk to Marco... the blond friend turn the phon off putting it in the drawer, he stares at the mirror looking at himself satisfied, so Marco walks arm in arm with Mario towards the bedroom, because he's still wearing a tracksuit pants and a t-shirt... normal clothes when he's at home.


	3. Chapter 3

Marco gets in the bedroom, followed by Mario, «tell me Mario, I'm listening,» Marco says to his friend while he's looking for something to wear into the wardrobe, but Mario replies «it's an important matter Marco, I cannot talk to you while you aren't pay attention to me,» Marco turns his head... he casts a glance to his friend and «no Mario... don't tell me do you want to go to dance!!! You know I don't like it, it's so boring, but we can't do something else? A good movie at the cinema? And then dinner... or we have dinner and then the bowling, or do you know?» Marco is a flood of words «there's a new nightspot where we could play ping-pong... I know you always beat me but I could do everything for you. Or if you don't like to go out we could stay here at home, something take away for dinner and then some hot challenge with PS3 and FIFA or I have some new movie on blu-ray... what do you think? But if you really wish to go to dance... ok» breathing a sigh.

Mario's heart is blooding knowing he has to give this news to Marco, who cannot really imagine the tragedy he will live in few minutes... «Calm down Marco, please, stop for a second... I don't want to go to dance, we can do whatever you want to do, everything is ok for me» and he's saying this trying to hide the growing worry in his face but since Mario arrived at home Marco was so busy he didn't notice it... Marco found a pair of teared jeans, he opens a drawer looking for a sweater... «what do you think, do you like it?» asking to Mario showing him a sweater he drew out from the drawer... Mario comes closer to Marco, grabbing his hands and blocking them, the sweater fall down in the drawer again, and he says him «Marco, please.» Marco turns his head, looking him in the eyes and he realizes for the first time in the evening, there's something wrong on Mario.


	4. Chapter 4

«Mario», he says «you don't look very fit. What happened? Anything serious? Don't... you?», Marco stutters and Mario promptly says him smiling, «but what are you thinking about, I feel great, I'm in good health, do not worry» and so Marco heaves a sigh of relief, he bends his knees to take breath, adding «wow, I'm trembling all over, I was afraid I would have a stroke,» smiling to his friend and caressing his cheek. _Marco, please,_ Mario thinks, _don't make it more complicated than necessary,_ Mario grabs Marco by the arm and makes him sit down on the bed. Mario seats close to him as well, he looks Marco straight in the eye, while the blond is losing the smile, he looks Mario's sad face and he cannot be happy «what happened Mario,» the young friend grab Marco's hands, «I needed to talk to you as soon as possible because I didn't wish you would get the news from someone else,» a short pause and then he continues «my agent called me this morning,» from Marco expression he was clearly frightened, his heart is beating fast, when he heard the word “agent”, Marco isn't stupid... he's scared to know what Mario is trying to say him, he doesn't want to know it, he doesn't want to hear Mario saying “I'm leaving”, he's trembling and he's able to whisper just few words stuttering, asking Mario «wh-what want-ed fr-from yo-you?» some tears furrowed his face, but he cannot dry them because Mario forestalls Marco's move and then he continues talking to him «Marco, Bayern» but he cannot finish the phrase because Marco interrupts him begging him «don't say anything more Mario, stop please, I don't want to hear anything more,» he springs to his feet, breaking Mario's hold and he's trying to run away from the bedroom but Mario is in front of him, stopping him with his hands on Marco's chest, «I'm begging you Marco, wait,» Marco is forced to take a step backward, touching the door of the wardrobe... he covers up his face with his hands and he slides down. Marco is in despair and he cannot restrain tears... Mario, heavy-hearted, didn't know the best way to give the news to his best friend, when he was reaching Marco's apartment he was thinking over and over about it... Marco is crying copiously...


	5. Chapter 5

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

Marco is crying inadvertently, it was a spontaneous gesture, but he was very upset remembering that day and tried by all the emotions lived in The Final.

He wipes away his tears by the pyjamas' sleeve, while the thoughts leave again at a gallop...

Mario comes closer to Marco, sitting next to him, his back leaned to the door of the wardrobe, his left arm round Marco's shoulders, pulling the blond towards him, moves his right hand touching Marco's face and turning it towards him. Marco looks at him, with tears in his eyes, _«sorry Mario, it wasn't my intention to react in this way,»_ he lowers his face touching Mario's head and they stay in that position for some moments, the time for Marco to collect himself.

«Have you accepted the offer?» Marco asks Mario, also if he's scared to know the answer... Mario answers him «no Marco,» and Marco seems to recover his trust, he smiles faintly and he's ready to say something more but Mario adds «not yet» and the smile disappears from Marco's face... Mario continues «Bayern wants me, in the next days I should go to Monaco to sign the contract». Mario is restraining his tears, bright eyes but he doesn't want to cry.

«Mario, why? Don't you like BVB anymore? You're playing in one of the best European teams, you won Bundesliga twice, you have the chance to reach Champions League Final... you're the number one here, you would be just a number there...» but he regrets telling him because Mario cannot be just a number, he's a talented player that every team in the World would buy... but mostly he's HIS Mario... His young friend look at him remaining silent and Marco continues «do you move for money?» and for the second time Marco regrets talking without thinking... but he cannot help it, he let slip words without control... «last Summer I refused an offer from Bayern to come to play here in Dortmund... to play with you, to stay with you, to be next to you... and now? Are you leaving me alone?» Marco is in despair and Mario noticed it, because HIS Marco would never throws it in Mario's face... but this is the last straw because Mario isn't calm as well and he has an outburst of rage answering him «I never told you to refuse that offer» and than he springs to his feet, turning his back to Marco and saying nothing he goes out of the bedroom... in the meanwhile Marco is trying to rise to his feet but he runs the risk to lose his balance, he leans on the bedside table to avoid to fall down to the ground... he stretch out his hand, he'd like to yell at the top of his voice «MARIO!!!» but a feeble voice reached him... and after few endless seconds, Mario went out slamming the door... _He's gone!_ In that exact moment Marco sank on the ground, crying, crying, sobbing...


	6. Chapter 6

Time passes, minutes like hours, Marco is getting up from the floor, leaning on the door of the wardrobe again... he looks up, Mario is there, in front of him, just few steps inside the bedroom, Mario returned home but Marco didn't hear him. A shirt-tail out of his pants, an unbuttoned collar, a loose necktie, his ruffled hair, soaked to the skin. Marco comes closer to his friend and the first words out of their mouths are «sorry». Mario adds «Marco, you're the last person I want fight with» tears furrowing his face, «Mario, forgive me,» Marco answers «I have been selfish,» and he cannot restrain his tears but he has to say something important to Mario. Marco thought a lot about it in those endless minutes, when Mario went out slamming the door and he believed he would never see him anymore.

«You aren't a teammate for me, you're a friend, my best friend and our friendship won't last also if we won't play together in Borussia Dortmund anymore,» make a few seconds pause, trying to wipe away his tears, because tears misted his eyes, then continues «I will stand by you, forever, whatever your decision may be, because if you're happy I'm happy, but if you're sad I could die,» he makes another pause to breathe, «moving to Bayern is a singular and irreplicable occasion, for sure, also if it will be dreadful to see you wearing a red jersey, running and hugging someone else, but you'll be always MY Mario» and Marco cannot resist to fling his arms round Mario's neck.

Mario is speechless, recalling the moment he went out Marco's apartment slamming the door, heedless of downpour hitting Dortmund, he threw his jacket away to the pavement, running like the wind, stopping next to a wall. He's crying, Marco's words touched his heart sadly. He breathes, the downpour hasn't stopped yet but Mario doesn't care about it, he's thinking again the way he left Marco, _Marco, what have I done!_ Running like the wind, following the same route back again. He picks up the wet and dirty jacket from the pavement, rushing up the steps, looking for the key in the pocket of his pants, he opens the door, he doesn't know what to expect inside, how Marco could react after he left him in that rude way, but he doesn't care about it, he needs Marco. The room is deserted so Mario makes his way towards the bedroom and before to enter in the bedroom he sees Marco, seated on the floor with his back leaning on the wardrobe. He looks up and he sees him.


	7. Chapter 7

The two friends are still hugging themselves, «Marco,» Mario is whispering, looking his friend in his eyes, _«I know that things won't be like before anymore, we couldn't see each other every day, but our friendship is still alive, more than before»_ he continues «there'll be chances to be together, when you'll come to play in Münich, you could sleep at home with me and when I'll come to play in Dortmund it would be the same. In the Winter break we could spend some days together in an exotic warm place relaxing, then there'll be the national team training camps, Summer holidays...» he puts his hand on Marco's shoulder, he gazes at his blond friend and continues «it has been a painful decision for me too, and you're the first person who knows it, Mister Klopp, our teammates, my brothers, my parents... they don't know I'm moving to Bayern yet... you're the first.»

Marco heaves a long sigh, then look at his young friend saying him «Mario, have you met my neighbour? She usually throws bucketful of water down of the balcony...» trying to smile while Mario burst into laughter adding «but she's cute?» and Marco cannot restrain a laughter... «let me say that she's a type of about 80 years old» and Marco cannot restrain a laughter again, an infectious laughter. After letting off steam with them Marco and Mario calmed down. The blond is looking his friend up and down «hey Mario, look at the state you're in, get your wet clothing off and go to take a warm shower. I'm back in few minutes with some dry clothing because you run the risk to get a cold» and while Mario is exiting from the bedroom Marco adds «I clear one of the drawers of the chest of drawers and I clear a part of the wardrobe for you, so you can put some clothing here», Mario turns his head towards Marco smiling and saying him «thanks Marco, you'll have your free space at home in Münich too, and if you won't visit me often...» winking at him. Marco is a bit more calm than before, but it won't be easy to accustom himself to don't see Mario every day anymore.

 


	8. Chapter 8

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

Marco gives a deep sigh and his breath misted, the temperature is definitely low here in London, but in Dortmund would be the same too.

This isn't the best period of his life for sure, it was a sad parting from Mario, also if Marco knows the day Mario will move to Münich isn't arrived yet, and thinking about it is scaring him, not knowing how he will react to it.

Then Mario's injury... the return match in Madrid and after few minutes Mario stopped short, touching his thigh... his match ended in this way. The team fights for 90 minutes and more having success qualifying for The Final. Mario stayed on the bench to follow the match, he didn't dare to come back to the locker room, an ice pack on his thigh. Marco knows how much a football player suffers if he cannot play the match suffering and feeling useless but it didn't happen to him often luckily.

Back in Dortmund Mario met the doctor of Borussia Dortmund, Marco is with him, the echography draws attention to a damage... the first thought of Mario towards the doctor is «The Final???» and the doctor answers him «Mario, you know that I don't like to deceive people... there's a little chance you could play it, but we have to wait to be sure.» Mario is overcomed by sadness and Marco notices it, they came back at home, Mario is limping, Marco comes closer to him saying «Mario, come on, there's about one month to Champions League Final, doctor didn't say no, he said maybe...» trying to keep his spirits up.

Mario was counting the days until the Final and Marco too, and there, when Mario has given up all hope, there, a morning, back to the doctor, Marco with him as usual, the young friend receives a news from the doctor unexpectedly «Mario, you may begin again gradually... » Mario's face lightened with hope, the doctor continues «in normal situations I would never say “yes”, because you should rest more, but I know how important is this Final for you and so...» Mario says «thanks doctor,» then he turns towards Marco, the blond is looking at him smiling.

The following day Mario is on the pitch for the training session, his teammates are training together but Mario cannot join them yet. In any case he's on the pitch now and it's very important for him. The physiotherapist is always with him, he follows every Mario's movement, this is his last attempt, if he fails he won't play the Final.

Marco is playing a match with his teammates, he's committing himself completely, he takes a look at Mario every now and then, Mario is working hard but not going to extremes...

The training session is almost over, Marco scored one more goal, he's in a very good form, besides he's in a very good mood, Mario is training and Marco is happy.

Marco runs, he receives a cross by Leonardo, a shot at goal and Roman can do anything... Marco is walking on air and he suddenly turns his head towards Mario because he wants to share this moment with him... Mario is seated on the pitch, he covers up his face with his hands, he's crying in despair... the physiotherapist is next to him, an ice pack on his thigh... the same thigh of the injury in Madrid. Marco feels a pang in his heart... _no, not again!!!_ He runs to Mario, kneeling down before him and hugging him.


	9. Chapter 9

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

_If Mario would play Champions League Final the result would be different for sure,_ Marco thinks but it is no use complaining...

Mario wakes up, his hand touching the right side of the bed but anybody is there  _«Marco?»_ he calls in a low voice. The room is dark, any light from the bathroom.  _I wonder where he is now..._ Mario thinks, he gets up. «It's so cold!» he shouts out and without thinking he turns his head towards the terrace, the window is opened and he sees through the windowpane Marco is there... «Marco!» he's calling him raising his voice just a bit. Marco doesn't answer him, it seems he doesn't hear Mario's voice. He's looking for his slippers, moving his feet at random and not finding them, he stands up, yawning... and walking towards the window, he flings open it, calling «Marco!» again. Marco is there, seated on the ground, wearing just his pyjamas, the air is cold, biting and wet, Marco touches Marco's shoulder to attract his attention and he withdrew his hand very quickly, «but... you're frozen» he cries, «do you want to catch a pneumonia?» but Marco seems to be in trance, so Mario is trying to convince him, whispering  _«come back inside with me»._ Marco rolls his head slightly towards Mario saying «I feel good.» So Mario asks «but how long have you been here outside?» and Marco answers him «I don't know, I couldn't sleep.»

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

So Mario come back inside the room, close to the bed, he grabs the quilt with his right hand and after few seconds Mario is walking towards the terrace again. He seats behind Marco's body, opening his legs, so he can stretch them along Marco's ones. Then he comes closer to his friend so both bodies would touch, shivering with cold. It seems to hug a freezer. He picks up the quilt, wearing it like a cloack and wrapping his friend too. Mario hugs Marco as strong as he can, hoping his warm body would give heat to Marco's one too, then he whispers to his blond friend, _«a bit better now?»_ Marco nods adding «yes, thanks.»

ON, OFF, ON, OFF.

Marco bows his head on Mario's body, time passes, his eyes are heavy with tiredness, time passes and he cannot keep his eyes open anymore and when Mario could hear him deep breathing knows with pleasure that Marco is finally sleeping. Marco's body gets his warm back and cold is just a vague recollection.

Mario is quietly rocking himself, cuddling Marco's sleep while some sunbeams shyly filter through the buildings in front of the terrace, it's dawn...

ON, OFF, ON. GREEN. The traffic lights is working again.

It's a new day for Marco and Mario.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope the story would be understandable... it has been very difficult to translate it from Italian to English as usual and perhaps I did it just because it was a short one... but the Italian version is better of course... as usual. In any case I hope you enjoyed it. ciao


End file.
